


A Man Needs His Rest

by thesometimeswarrior



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Mild Blood, Pre-Canon, Tearjerker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 02:26:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9361805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesometimeswarrior/pseuds/thesometimeswarrior
Summary: Only the medic witnesses the final moments of the siege.Iroh, Lu Ten, and last moments.





	

All his desperate hope that the messenger had been exaggerating is crushed in an instant after he sprints to the medical tent at the base of the Inner Wall. He pays no heed to the men who salute him as he hurls himself inside, nor to the medic who breathes his title and name; his eyes are only for the young officer, bleeding through the wrappings that cover most of his body, who is laying there on that meager bedroll on the ground. The young man’s breaths are raspy and pained, and yet Iroh finds that he is grateful for each one. _Thank Agni I arrived in time…_ “Is there anything more that can be done?”

“N-No, sir.” The medic seems startled to have been addressed, and simultaneously terrified and certain. “T-the boulder that landed on him...has caused s-severe internal bleeding, and…severed many e-essential nerves and organs...besides, he is bleeding out more quickly than we can—”

“I see,” interrupts Iroh stoically. "Will touching him cause him more pain?”

The medic shakes his head. “He doesn’t have a great deal of sensation left, sir.”

So the General kneels low, cradles the officer in his arms, ignoring the blood that begins to soak into his own uniform. “My Lu Ten, my brave, brave son. I am here.”

The body groans in a way that resembles a attempt at speech, but Iroh interrupts: “No, my son, do not speak, it is alright.”

There is so much he wants to say: _I’m sorry_ , and _I did this_ , and _You deserved a father who would not lead you and thousands of other young men to their deaths_ , and _I’m ending the siege_ , and _I was wrong, so_ so _wrong_ , and _I would give anything for this to be me instead of you._

But these are not things one shares with a young soldier who is dying, not things one shares with one’s son. So instead the General says: “You have done so well, Lu Ten. I am so proud of you.”

There is another groan, guttural and pained, and Iroh forces himself to remained contained, to keep his eyes dry, as he grants the permission he knows the figure in his arms needs. “Rest, my son. A man needs his rest.” 

Lu Ten sighs and blinks. 

Iroh inhales, wills his voice to remain steady and soothing. “Shall I sing the lullaby I sang to you as a boy?”

There is a smile, and the slightest nod, so Iroh begins: “ _Leaves from the vine, falling so slow…_ ”

* * *

The young man’s raspy breaths persist throughout the entire melody, and it is only after the last refrain, the last _brave soldier boy comes marching home_ , that they finally cease.

When they do, Iroh sets the body down with immense tenderness, rises. He will not weep now, he will _not_. There will be plenty of time later, when he has sent the troops back to the Fire Nation and he is alone, plenty of time to weep (and he will weep plenty, he is sure, if his current urge is of any indication) but not now, not now…

“S-sir?” The medic is tentative; Iroh had forgotten that he was there.

“Yes?”

“Sh-shall I send for Prince Lu Ten’s commanding officer to perform the funeral rites to Agni?”

“No. I shall perform them myself, after I disseminate a message to the brigade commanders.”

The medic bows his head, is silent for a moment, before speaking again. “Sir?”

Iroh turns to once again face him.

“I’m sorry. About the Prince.”

There is a pause and a hitch of breath. “Thank you for what you have done for him. I have no doubt that Prince Lu Ten was more comfortable in his final moments because of your efforts than he otherwise might have been.” Iroh inhales once, then slowly exhales before continuing. “And you have given me a great gift.”

“Sir?”

“Time. An opportunity to say goodbye to my son.” 

Iroh turns to exit the tent, and if the medic hears him sob, he never tells a soul.

  


**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! I live for comments!


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